Mid-major transfer tracker: Where will our small school superstars end up?

The word “transfer” in the college basketball world has a plethora of associations. Coaches, players and the media hold different opinions on the effects of transferring on the sport of college basketball.

One thing about transfer policy remain sure: Though it hurts some mid-major schools, transferring can be a very wise choice for players who’ve never gotten to shine on the national stage.

Without further ado, here’s an update on the top mid-major players set to transfer this year, including predictions as to where they’ll play next year.

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Aaron Calixte (Maine): Calixte may have been overshadowed by other guards in the America East like Jairius Lyles and Trae Bell-Haynes, but he was a double-digit scorer in almost every game last year. More importantly, he was truly Maine’s playmaker in all senses of the word: Required to score, drive and dish, Calixte is well-versed in all aspects of the game. If he can limit his turnovers, he’ll be a nice addition to any team as a grad transfer.

Prediction: Missouri

Actual: Oklahoma

David Caraher (Houston Baptist): There’s no question that Caraher is the most upside of anyone on the list. Last year, he was fifth in scoring and seventh in rebounding in the Southland. And, he was only a freshman. Originally a Chris Holtman recruit at Butler, it’s clear this streaky 6’6 forward has un-mined potential.

Prediction: Nevada

Actual: St. John’s

Nick Norton (UAB)

Norton is another guard that will sure to get some looks because he is a solid playmaker. In fact, his assist to turnover ratio is superb. In the last four games for UAB, he maintained a 30 assist to two turnover ratio.

Prediction: Purdue

Actual: Drake

Zach Johnson (Florida Gulf Coast): There’s not more you can ask for in a grad transfer. Johnson is so good that he may even forgo his senior year in college for the NBA. But if he does stay, the team that snatches him is getting a heck of a talent. Last year, he averaged 16.2 points per game and shot 47% from FG range and 39% from three. If you’re unfamiliar with his name, tune on the wild game that was last year’s A-SUN final. He had 37 points in 35 minutes and hit nine threes.

Prediction: Arizona

Actual: Miami

Matt Mooney (South Dakota): Mooney was in Mike Daum’s shadow in the Summit League, but it’s time he gets attention of his own. Mooney was South Dakota’s fearless leader the past two years, putting up a whopping 18.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. If he can hone his accuracy a bit more, he could thrive at a Power Five school.

Interest: Texas Tech, Oregon, Virginia, Creighton, Northwestern, Indiana, TCU, Arizona State, Stanford, Memphis, Texas, Michigan, Missouri

Prediction: Texas Tech

Joe Cremo (Albany): Joe Cremo is maybe the most balanced player on the list. He’s No. 28 nationally in three-point percentage with a fiery 49%. Cremo was also named First Team America East thanks to his strong shooting inside the arc and from the line. What differentiates himself from being a nice shooter is his length, ability to defend and strong feel for the game. With immediate eligibility next year, he’ll give a championship contender surefire scoring ability.

Interest: Duke, Ohio State, Texas, Gonzaga, Creighton, Penn State

Prediction: Oregon

Prentiss Nixon (Colorado State): Nixon is a do-it-all guard who was the core of the Colorado State program. In the Mountain West, he was tenth in scoring and fourth in steals. Though it’s a bit concerning that his shooting accuracy has decreased from sophomore to junior year, he was forced to be a leader for a depleted Ram offense, which made him a more versatile scorer.

Prediction: Loyola Chicago

Actual: Iowa State

James Scott (Kennesaw State): Like Caraher, Scott has already showed a lot of promise in a short time. As a sophomore, he was third in A-SUN scoring and fourth in steals per game. His range and upside will serve him well in whichever conference he lands.

Prediction: Virginia Tech

Actual: Nevada

Koby McEwen (Utah State): McEwen has three qualities that are rare to find in a guard transfer: size, rebounding ability and time. The Utah State sophomore still has two more years of eligibility, plus he’s already shined in the Mountain West. Last year he averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. McEwen could start in a heartbeat for almost any team in the nation.

Prediction: Creighton

Actual: Marquette

Justin Coleman (Samford): Simply put, Coleman is an assist machine. Last year he was 13th in the category nationally and that aspect alone makes him a hot commodity in the transfer game. Coleman is highly regarded in scoring and defensive capability as well, averaging 13.5 points per game while shooting nearly 44% from the field.

Interest: Texas, Saint Louis, UAB, Texas Southern, Arizona, Ohio State, SMU

Prediction: Arizona

Ehab Amin (Texas A&M CC): Amin missed the full 2017-2018 season due to injury, but in the previous year, he showed promise. In his last full season, Amin averaged 17 points per game and led the nation with 3.4 steals per game. He’s getting a lot of looks because he has been used as a big and a guard, so it will be fascinating to see not only where he goes, but also what position he plays.

Interest: Florida State, Texas A&M, Arizona, Oklahoma State, SMU, Nevada, Virginia, BYU, Ohio State, Wichita State, NC State, Texas, West Virginia, BYU, Louisville, Iowa State

Prediction: Texas A&M

Khwan Fore (Richmond): This grad transfer strengths lie in his ball handling and low turnover percentage. He averaged 11 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last year but shot just 28% from three and 66% from the line. Fore has all the moves to succeed but will need to improve his accuracy.

Interest: Tennessee

Prediction: Tennessee

Mike Cunningham (USC Upstate): Cunningham is a sharp, undersized guard. However, he is a reliable scorer from anywhere on the court, boasting an average of 13.7 points per game with 39% and 38% completion rates from two and three, respectively.

Prediction: Louisville

Actual: Oklahoma State

Dachon Burke (Robert Morris): Hugely talented. Wild upside. Dachon Burke is young, strong and has the ability to fill the whole stat board. He concluded the 2016-2017 season with 17.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He shot over 45% from the field and also averaged 2.1 steals per game putting him at 34th in the nation in steal percentage.

Interest: Michigan, Wichita State, St. John’s, St. Bonaventure, Marquette, Nebraska, Pitt, Miami, Nevada

Prediction: Michigan

Nat Dixon (Chattanooga): Dixon saw a huge improvement between his sophomore and junior years of college ball, going from just two to 13.8 points per game. He hit three or more threes ten times last year. His height allowed him to rebound too, but ultimately he’ll be valuable for his shooting.

Interest: Memphis, Xavier, Wake Forest, Nevada

Prediction: Memphis

Cheddi Mosely (Boston):

This BU grad transfer hasn’t been healthy since he was a sophomore for the Terriers, but when he was, he showed flashes of potential. During that season, he averaged 13.3 points and 2.9 rebounds.

Interest: Wake Forest, St. Bonaventure, Delaware, Rhode Island

Prediction: Rhode Island

Joseph Chartouny (Fordham)

One word: balance. Chartouny is an absolute competitor with the most steals per game in the nation last year. He brings an even-keel stat line of 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game to his future team. He could work on three-point and free throw shooting, but he can stuff the stat sheet.

Prediction: Oregon

Actual: Marquette

Malik Osbourne (Rice):

Osborne is a promising young big who put together a nice freshman season. He averaged nine points and 6.5 rebounds in just 27 minutes of play. He also made over 40% of his FGs.

Interest: UCSB, Wisconsin, Nevada, DePaul, Stanford, St. Bonaventure, Illinois State

Prediction: Nevada

Wyatt Walker (Samford):

Walker is a destroyer in the paint who got last season derailed due to a torn meniscus. The year before he had 17 double-doubles and had nearly a 59% completion rate for field goals.

Interest: NC State, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State

Prediction: Oklahoma State

Trey Porter (Old Dominion):

If you’re team is in need of an immediate presence, look no further than Trey Porter. The grad transfer will be immediately eligible, and that’s a great thing after watching him in Conference USA. He averaged 13.2 points (on 58 FG%) and 6.2 rebounds, while limiting turnovers.

Prediction: Maryland

Actual: Nevada

Josh McFolley (Detroit Mercy)

McFolley might be 6’1 but he oozes confidence. He surpassed 1,000 points in just three years at Detroit Mercy and in all those years he never played more than an average of 29 minutes per game.

Interest: N/A

Prediction: DePaul(?)

Kalob Ledoux (McNeese State):

One of the more prolific scorers on this list, LeDoux has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He finished his sophomore year with an average of 15 points and 4.3 rebounds per game (not a typo).

Interest: UConn, Gonzaga, Northwestern, San Diego, Indiana, UNLV, Nevada

Prediction: Gonzaga

Anthony Tarke (NJIT):

Tarke is a superb athlete who can outpower opponents in the paint. Often on the verge of a double-double with 15.1 points and 6.0 rebounds, Tarke can be a gamechanger for a team if he limits his fouls.

Interest: Kansas State, George Washington, Texas Tech, Pitt, Nevada, Maryland, UConn, South Carolina, Auburn, George Mason

Prediction: Maryland

Dedric Boyd (Eastern Kentucky):

Boyd is a young ball-handler who showed promise during his freshman campaign. He concluded the year with averages of 13.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. His three-pointer needs polish but he has the knack to lead a team.

Prediction: Bradley

Actual: Illinois State